Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I know how to make buttercream that tastes exactly like the inside of an Oreo, and I haven’t shared it with you, until now.

Part of the reason is that we eat this cookies and cream frosting straight out of the bowl, and then go back to our normal lives like it never happened. It’s best not to dwell on such moments.

But, the other reason is because it’s harder than you think to save 4 Oreos from the box with which to make cupcakes.

I start by adding 4 oreos to a little bag as soon as I open the box. And then somewhere between 9pm and 9:15 (the first few minutes after I put Camille to bed–aka freedom!), the Oreos, dude, they start calling to me. And so I eat them to shut them up. And then I have no Oreos with which to bake.

I saved these Oreos by burying them in the onion bin at the bottom of my pantry. True story. And I really hope my husband doesn’t read this, because the onion bin has been my dessert hiding place for years now.

How are we feeling about 4 cookies and cream cupcakes serving 2 people? It’s reasonable, right?

My husband can eat 2 in one sitting. I only eat 1, but that’s because I’m up to HERE in sugar all day long. Also, I most likely ‘cleaned’ the frosting bowl with my face earlier in the day.

It happens to the best of us.

It’s amazing how much trouble we can get into with just 4 little Oreos, isn’t it?

Next, in a small measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and brown sugar very well.

Add the wet to the dry, and stir until just mixed.

Divide between the cupcake liners and bake for 16-17 minutes. They're done when the tops spring back when touched (if you under-bake, they'll sink).

Let cupcakes cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat together with an electric mixer on HIGH the butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute, until very fluffy and light.

Finally, stir in the cookies by hand, crushing them as you add them. (I went a little light on the cookies so the frosting was more photogenic, but the frosting tastes best when you add all 4 cookies).

I'm feeling good about this. Really, really good about this. I'm obsessed with Trader Joe's candy cane Joe-Joes so obviously I will have to make this recipe with candy cane Joe-Joes but I can't wait until then. So it looks like I'll be making this multiple times. Have you tried regular Trader Joe's Joe-Joes? I think I have to do a side-by-side comparison but I have this sneaking suspicion that Joe-Joes are actually better than Oreos. Not that I would kick an Oreo out of my bed. Never! Trader Joe's has been surprising me more and more recently with their generic versions - like the Quasar bar (very similar to Milky Way Midnight but way better...and bigger...and I think even cheaper? How? How do they do it?), so good, you need to try it or their Boffo bar which I think is supposed to be like a Snickers, but I love the Quasar too much to use the candy bar part of my tummy/caloric intake to try it.

Oh, dear. I believe I have all of these ingredients at home, right now. (I buy the Nabisco Multipacks for my son's lunch. The oreos come in packs of six, so it's helpful for portion control, if you can stick to one pack.) And for future reference, candy cane Joe Joes do AMAZING in the freezer, so next year you can stock up.

Hi Christina - I'm so glad to see you share this recipe! My son (the crazy Oreo fanatic) will just love these! Pinned and making soon (after we finish the chocolate pudding pie I just made this afternoon). ; ) Have a great weekend!

Hi Emy! Hmm...I haven't tried this recipe that way, so I don't know if it would work. But cocoa powder does behave like flour in a recipe, but not exactly. I'd hate for you to have a recipe failure. What about using my recipe for a small batch of vanilla cupcakes, and then using the frosting recipe from this recipe? Replace lemon juice with vanilla here: http://www.dessertfortwo.com/lemon-cream-cupcakes-5/

Hi Christina I just wanted to thank you so much,I nearly gave up on baking because I always had so many leftovers! Then I stumbled onto your website and tried these Amazing cupcakes!! They were so good that my Mom said they were the best cupcakes she has ever had (and that is saying something considering she is a vanilla person). So now I am planning on going to my local bookshop to see if I can order your dessert cookbook! Thanks so much!!

I went through a long phase of being underwhelmed by cookies n cream. I don't know what was wrong with me, quite honestly. I basically wasted my 20s turning my nose up at the combo. But happily, I'm back in the swing of things. These cupcakes will help me on this important journey of self discovery.

Hi Ankita, I have no idea, I'm sorry! I only test my recipes the way you see them written here. I'm wondering if the product cup 4 cup would work? In the meantime, I have an entire section of gluten free desserts here: http://www.dessertfortwo.com/category/gluten-free-2/

I made these yesterday for my stepdaughter's birthday dinner. They were perfect. She is an longtime Oreo lover and the frosting was amazing. She was disappointed I didn't have more, but truly think it was the frosting she was after. I loved that it only made 4 cupcakes and how quickly they came together. Thank you for recipe it was exactly what I needed and have always looked to your site for small batch desserts.

Oh you are BRILLIANT: I'm sending this recipe to all my retired widowed and single women friends. Cupcake just makes the day go better. Do you know, everything comes in packages of 12, unless of course it's at the huge supermarkets (shall remain unnamed) where everything comes in six dozen...so what's a girl to do? Why you can freeze the other 11 says the helpful young woman at checkout. Have you SEEN the freezers in a senior's apartment, I tell her? There 8 by 11 inches, and STUFFED. I look forward to more. I mean less.

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